"Refreshed"

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." Acts 3:19

"When the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." We all long for times of "refreshing". Sometimes we feel as if our relationship with the Lord has grown stale or cold. This is why we look forward to revival services or conferences. The phrase "times of refreshing" implies that there are special occasions when we get spiritually refreshed. Most Christians tend to wait for those special times. But we need "daily refreshing" as well.

Each day has its own set of trials and problems that drain us. Each day we spend our "spiritual resources" ministering to others, helping the needy, encouraging a brother, praying for the sick or witnessing to the lost. Each day there are mountains to climb that exhaust us spiritually. Therefore, each day we need to be refreshed.

This refreshing doesn't come from watching Christian programs. It doesn't come from going out and doing more "works". It doesn't come from a prayer line. It doesn't come from counseling. Although there is nothing wrong with these things, but true refreshing can only come from one source and place-- the presence of the Lord. In His presence are pleasures evermore, joy unspeakable, peace that passes understanding, strength, grace and refreshing.

His presence is where the cares of this life, the worry, the stress and the fatigue are all washed away. Confusion can't stay in His presence. Fear can't stay there. His presence brings healing and restores our soul.

If you are in need of some spiritual refreshing this morning, don't run to the television, to your prayer partner, to a chair to set down and relax, instead run to your prayer closet, shut the door and wait until the presence of the Lord invades those weary places and the refreshing comes.

Have a great day. The refreshing we desperately need and long for comes from getting alone in God's presence.

For further reading:
Psalm 23:3; 16:11
James 4:8

"Peace and Love"

"Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 6:23

Peace and love are the two greatest longings of us human beings-- what we wouldn't do in order to have either one. Wars have been waged in the pursuit of peace. Pharmaceutical companies have made a fortune on the sell of medicines that promise to make you feel at peace. Many have compromised their values in order to keep peace. So many others "sell themselves" for love. Young girls have given themselves away having believed the words, "I love you". Children have engaged in acts of rebellion hoping that they might get some attention which to them would symbolize love. There are people of great means that would give it all away just to find someone who truly loves them and not what they have. Relationships have suffered and families have been destroyed because of lack of love.

We work so hard, pay great prices, compromise our values and morals just to have peace and love while all along peace and love are free gifts that we all can have. Peace and love are not feelings. They are not some emotion. They are not ideals. They are not abstract ideas. Both are embodied in a person- God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Love is a person- "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1 John 4:8) Peace is a person- "And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6b) "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace." (Ephesians 2:13,14)

This wonderful God doesn't just possess peace and love, He IS peace and love. And He has freely made both available to us, because He makes Himself available to us. We can have peace and love in our lives through having Him in our lives. And we can have Him in our lives because of the greatest act of love and peace that has ever been shown- Jesus' death on the cross. At the cross God's love was demonstrated and His peace was being poured out. No longer do we have to remain enemies of God because of our sins, we can come into a relationship of peace and love with Him.

Are you looking for peace and love in your life? You will never find it if you are looking in the wrong places. It is only found by looking in the right place, and that place is God Himself.

Have a great day. Peace and love are attainable, because they are found in a person-- His name is Jesus.

For further reading:
John 3:16; 14:27
2 Corinthians 5:19
Colossians 1:20

"Travel The Road"

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." Matthew 7:13

When we are born, we are born as travelers traveling through this life. We are all traveling on the same road- a road that leads to death and eternal damnation. Because of Adam's sin, sin was passed upon all mankind and death- eternal separation from God- as a result of sin. So as "travelers" through this life, we are all traveling on a broad wide "road" that leads us to death.

Because of God's great love and mercy, and His desire that none perish, He stepped into this world through His Son Jesus and provided a way for us to be able to get off that "road/way" and get on another that would lead in the opposite direction- to eternal life. Jesus is that way that leads to eternal life. But while we were born, without a choice, on the broad way that leads to eternal death, we have been given the choice as to whether we will stay on it or take the way which the Lord has so graciously provided so that we can have everlasting life.

Once we have made the choice to get on the road that God has provided that leads to life, we then have to travel it. The Bible refers to the way that leads to eternal life as a road, a path, a way, a highway. Roads were made to be traveled. That is their whole purpose. Roads are not resting places. They are not places where you "pull up a chair" and sit down. They are not camp sites. They are not places where you homestead. They are places where you travel. The point I am trying to make is- once we get on the way that leads to eternal life, we then have to travel it. We have to press toward the mark. We have to run the race that is set before us. We have to keep walking and not grow faint or weary. You don't get on it and then just stop.

There is another thing about roads- they lead to somewhere. If you continue to travel them, they will come to an end at a particular place. This road I am talking about will come to an end when we leave this earth, but it will take us to our destination-- right into heaven into the presence of the Lord forever. So don't sit down on the road, keep walking on it, it is taking you somewhere.

Have a great day. Which road are you on? If it is the road that leads to eternal life, are you traveling it or sitting down?

For further reading:
Matthew 7:13,14
Romans 5:12; 3:10
Hebrews 11:13,14; 12:1
Philippians 3:14
Genesis 5:24

"Sin's A Big Deal"

"For the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23a

When it comes to the subject of sin, we tend to be "flippant" about it. We take it lightly. We act as if it isn't a "big deal". We seem to have the attitude when we sin that- it's just a little sin, God understands, it will be all right, God will look over it.

We may have a causal attitude about sin, but as far as God is concerned sin is a "big deal".  Sin is a big deal or else the punishment for it would not be so great. God is a just God and because He is, when He administers punishment for a "crime" it is in direct proportion to the degree of the crime. If sin isn't a "big deal" then why is the punishment so great- death, hell, eternal separation from God.

Sin is a big deal to God because it took the sacrifice of His only begotten Son in order to pay the ransom price for our sins. It took the shedding of blood. It took the cross. The death of Jesus as the "Lamb who takes away our sins" was no little matter to God.

We have to change our attitude about sin and see it the way God sees it. If I committed a crime and was taken before a judge to face the punishment for my crime, it won't matter how I feel about what I did. I might think that it is not a "big deal". What will matter though is how that judge sees it. It will all be up to him. The sentence will be passed from his perspective, not mine. One day we will all stand before the Judge of the universe and the only thing that will matter is how He sees it.

Have a great day. Sin may not be a big deal to us, but it is to God.

For further reading:
Ezekiel 18:4
1 John 2:1-3
Romans 5:19
Genesis 2:17

"Change"

"My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change." Proverbs 24:21

For some time now the "buzz" word and cry has been for "change". We hear its cry ringing throughout our nation, the global community and even within the church. The desire to change comes naturally because we were created as beings who were designed for change. From the time that we are born until the time we die, we will be in a constant state of change- our appearance changes, our age changes, our maturity level changes, etc.

Change is not always a bad thing, sometimes it is needful. Sometimes change is neither good or bad- it isn't necessary but it is just something that we desire. Then there are times when change is bad and can be detrimental to us and those around us. This morning I want to address "change" as it relates to the church. If ever there was a day in which things are changing in the church it is now. The music is changing, the way we dress is changing, our activities are changing, the way we conduct services is changing. Is all of the changes we see happening bad? Not necessarily. But on the other hand, it is when it goes against the Word of God. For example, the church is changing by ordaining homosexuals to serve as pastors. This change is clearly in disobedience and rebellion against God.

Outside of the changes that are obviously in opposition to God's word and holy standard for His church, how do we know if the areas of change that we are moving into is actually a "good thing"? The answer is simple- does this "change" bring you closer to the Lord? Does it cause a holy fear and awe of God to rise within you? Does it bring you to repentance over the hidden sin in your life? Does it cause you to desire a deeper relationship with the Lord? When Jesus came to earth, He made some changes. He changed the way people worshipped God. Worship went from the killing of animals to worship that was in spirit and in truth. He changed the way to the Father- no longer through the priest and sacrifices but through faith in His sacrifice on the cross. The greatest change was in the covenant- He gave us a new one. A covenant that was not written on stone, but now written on the tables of our heart. All the "changes" Jesus made drew us closer to the Father.

Again, we have to ask ourselves, as a church and individually - is this a change that will bring me closer to Him? Not all change does. Some changes only feed our selfish desires, the lusts of our flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. So which is it doing?

Have a great day. Change is not always bad- as long as it is drawing you into a deeper, more surrendered relationship with the Lord.

For further reading:
John 14:6
Hebrews 7:11,12
Colossians 2:13,14
Philippians 3:21
2 Corinthians 3:2